What happens if I want to have a dependency diagram of this dependent extension (here called D 365BCDemoDependencyExtension)?
The example creates a base extension (here called D365BCDemoExtension) and then creates a dependent extension (here called D365BCDemoDependencyExtension). This sample shows different things and tricks/patterns for creating AL extensions. To explain this hidden feature of the AL compiler, let’s consider the extension example that is present at the beginning of my “Mastering Dynamics 365 Business Central” book. Interesting (a DGML file is basically a file that contains all code cross references)… but unfortunately, at the moment there’s no documentation on this. If you execute alc.exe /?, this is now the output:Īs you can see, there’s something interesting here: a /generatecrossreferences parameter, that permits you to generate cross-reference information files. And it’s with the 7.x version of the AL Language extension that silently something is appeared to satisfy my needs 🙂 One year ago, I had the news that the Microsoft’s AL compiler team was working on supporting this feature (cool!) and I’ve started checking the AL compiler executable on quite every release for new “hidden features”. Why not having the chance to create a dependency graph of an AL extension by using the same format, and then using Visual Studio for analysis? Nodes and links can be used represent network structures, such as elements in a software project. A directed graph is a set of nodes that are connected by links, or edges. It uses simple XML to describe both cyclical and acyclic directed graphs.
If you’re an heavy Visual Studio user (I’m one of this strange people) I think you know that Visual Studio can create a dependency diagram of your solutions (Code Maps) by using the standard DGML format.ĭirected Graph Markup Language (DGML) describes information used for visualization and to perform complexity analysis, and it’s the format used to persist code maps in Visual Studio. But I’ve always checked for something more… To generate dependencies diagrams for AL extensions I’ve personally used in the past the nice GraphViz feature in the CRS extension (described by Waldo here). I personally use diagrams or UML notations a lot during the architectural phase of a software solution or a cloud solution (that involves different entities). I think that explaining an overall solution architecture with a diagram is something that sometimes can help a lot. Have you ever had the need or the requirement to create a graphical diagram of the building blocks of your extension? Personally, a lot of time.
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